Business Quote by Walter Bagehot
“Most men of business think "Anyhow this system will probably last my time. It has gone on a long time, and is likely to go on still.”
About This Quote
Source Book: "Lombardy Street", 1871
Businesspeople often assume systems are permanent, overlooking that change is inevitable and can disrupt expectations.
In simple terms: Systems seem permanent but can change.
Key Takeaway
Prepare for change, don't rely on permanence.
Themes
business
systems
change
complacency
risk
Mood
cautious
forward‑looking
Type
strategic
pragmatic
When to use this quote
- investment decisions
- career planning
- policy making
- market analysis
Key Concepts
economics
history
strategic planning
Questions to Reflect On
- What signs indicate a system is shifting?
- How can you build flexibility into your plans?
A Different Perspective
Overconfidence in stability can lead to unpreparedness.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)